Door lock

ABSTRACT

A door lock having a self-cocking mechanism in which the catching of the bolt in the locked position is obtained by the previous rocking of the bolt combined with the simultaneous rocking, but in a reverse direction, of a tightening element interacting together by a common spring whose tension increases proportionally with the closing of the door.

United States Patent Paul Boyriven Paris, France Jan. 14, 1969 Aug. 17,1971 Compagnie lndustrielle de Mecanislnes Courbevoie, France Apr. 1,1968 France Inventor Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee Priority DOORLOCK 5 Claims, 12 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 292/226 E05c 3/22 Field of Search ...292/341. 13,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,314,613 3/1943 Evdter 292/2132,409,794 10/1946 Quigley et al. 292/52 3,331,624 7/1967 Pugh 292/2163,416,826 12/1968 Putsch et al. 292/198 Primary Examiner-Richard E.Moore Attorney-Raymond A. Robic ABSTRACT: A door lock having aself-cocking mechanism in which the catching of the bolt in the lockedposition is obtained by the previous rocking of the bolt combined withthe simultaneous rocking, but in a reverse direction, of a tighteningelement interacting together by a common spring whose tension increasesproportionally with the closing of the door.

PATENTEUAUBI 7mm 3.600 024 SHEET 1 OF 2 Paul BOYR/VE/V ATTORNEY PATENTEDAUG] 7 i971 SHEET 2 OF 2 A ITO/ill/f Y noon Lock The present applicationrelates to an improvement for locks and more particularly for vehicledoor locks.

The new lock is characterized by a self-cocking mechanism which isobtained by a new combination of a rocking bolt and a rocking tighteningelement, interacting between each other by a spring common to both theblock and the tightening element and whose tension increases in relationwith the closing movement of the door. This guarantees a more silentclosure combined with an increased locking security because it isreached with the maximum tension of the spring.

Another advantage of the new lock consists of its compact arrangement.

The above-mentioned advantages and others would be better understood inthe following description of the invention with the annexed drawings inwhich two embodiments are disclosed and in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevation view of the assembly of the lock mechanism andits keeper for a car door according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view along line A-A of FIG. 1;-

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the mechanism shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the case of the lock according to FIG. 1in which the holding plate is withdrawn while the keeper is shown, atthe beginning of the closing movement of the door;

FIG. 5 is a similar view as in FIG. 4 in which the keeper is in itsfinal closing position;

FIG. 6 is a similar view as in FIG. 4, but shows the keeper in itsintermediate position known as the security position;

FIG. 7 shows a similar view as in FIG. 4 according to a differentembodiment but wherein the keeper is shown outside the rock mechanism;

FIG. 8 is a schematic view of some members of the mechanism illustratedin FIG. 7 and located behind the lock P FIG. 9 is a schematic viewsimilar to FIG. 7 but in which the keeper is in its intermediateposition, that is, the security position;

FIG. 10 is a schematic view similar to FIG. 9 in which the keeper is inits final closing position;

FIG. 1 l is a schematic view of .the mechanism members according to FIG.10 which are located behind the lock plate at the beginning of theopening movement; and

FIG. 12 is a schematic view according to FIG. 11 illustrating the end ofthe opening movement. 1

In the embodiment according to FIGS. l3,' the lock mechanism for cardoors according to the present invention consists of a usual bent plate1, on which is mounted a raised case 2 an a U-shaped holding plate 3,allowing to house and support the bolt 4 of the lock which has the shapeof a semicylindrical catch which is adapted to rock around its axis 5 aswell as a tightening element'6 having the shape of a cam and having ahooking nose 7 adapted to rock around its axis 8 which appears eccentricdue to the fact that its outer contour has the shape of spiral 9.

The internal outline of the holding plate 3 is reduced relative to thecase 2 to allow the lateral'holding of the broad head 10 of the keeper,which inversely is raised by a crosspiece 11 and whose two upper notches12 and 13 are adapted to suecessively grip the rocking bolt 4 while thelower notch 14 may grip the nose 7 of the cam 6.

In addition, behind the plate 1, the usual actuating lever 15 is mountedfor operating the bolt 4 which is free to rock around its axis 5 whileit is brought back against the bent abutment 16 of the plate I by atension spring 17.

The actuating lever 15 comprises a bent leg 18 which while extendingthrough the elongated aperture 19, of a-rocking sector 20, rigidlysecured to the axis 5 of the bolt 4 constitute a resting abutmentopposing the effect of the tension spring 21 which has abiasing effecton the leg 22 against the fixed abutment 23, while the counterclockwiserocking of the sector 20 according to FIG. 3 is obtained through asubstantially well predetermined angle by the elongated aperture 19 andthat another leg 24 can come to grip with leg 25 of a lever 26 having anangular shape, the said lever 26 being rigidly secured in rotation tothe axis 8 of the cam 6 and which is also brought in a position of restby the tension spring 21, the latter being connected at its other end onthe sector 20.

It should be obvious to understand that due to the mutual interaction ofthe above-described elements, if their relative position is consideredfor the final and the complete closure of 'the door, according to FIGS.1 to 3, it would be sufficient to apply a pressure on the upper leg ofthe lever 15, for example by a button (not shown), to obtain the openingof the door.

Infact, the rocking of the lever 15 in a counterclockwise direction, asseen in FIG. 3, simultaneously causes, due to its bent leg 18, the samerocking of the sector 20 and therefore of the axis 5 and of thesemicylindrical bolt 4, which leads to the progressive release from'thenotch 13 of the head 10 of the keeper while simultaneously driving thehooking nose 7 of the cam 6 beyond the hooking position in the lowernotch 14 of the head of the bolt 10, in such a way as to allow theunhooking due to the leg 24 of the rocking sector 20 which tends to rockin the clockwise direction the leg 25 of the angular lever 26 whilecausing a similar rocking of the axis 8 and of the cam 6 which issolidly secured thereto in spite of the tension exerted by the spring21.

It is according to the usual operation of the door that, as soon as thelatter is open, the cessation of the thrust on the leg I of the lever 15brings back all the mechanism in the position of rest and then, asillustrated schematically in FIG. 4, any subsequent movement of theclosure of the door, brings the upper projection on the head of theblock 10 in contact with the lower ramp of the rocking block 4 andsimultaneously, the lower left projection of the head of the block 10 incontact with the hooking nose 7 of the cam 6 while exerting a rockingpressure upon these members respectively in opposite direction aroundtheir'axes 5 and 8, which causes an increasing tension known as theself-cocking of their common return spring 21.

If the closing movement of the door is further continued, it is easy tounderstand that the block 4 which becomes cocked, will first catch thenotch 12 of the head of the keeper 10 in the partial closing positionknown as the security position (not shown).

Following up the closing movement of the door, as illustrated in FIG. 6,there is a new hooking position which is a partial "closing, wherein itis the hooking nose 7 of the cam 6 which while catching the lower notch14 of the head of the keeper 10 prevents in the same way all risk ofunexpected opening of the door.

If the closing movement of the door is still further completed, thecomplete closure is obtained, as shown in FIG. 5, by repeating the samearrangement of the elements as shown in FIG. 1, that is, with themaximum tension, the spring 21 causes the catching of the rocking block4 in the notch 13 of the head of the keeper 10. Again, the said maximumtension of the spring 21 results from the previous rocking of the cam 6up to its position where it is effectively illustrated, while in thisposition, its profile in the shape of a spiral prevents all risk ofvertical vibration while being used as a tightening element.

It should be further specified, that in this complete closing i positionof the door, it will not open even under the effect of a lateraldisplacement, such as in the case of an accident, due to the effect ofthe lateral holding of the broad head 10 of the keeper by the plate 3,as it is clearly illustrated in FIG. 2.

As it has been shown above, there are in this first embodiment, twosuccessive intermediate closing positions known as security positions,but according to a different embodiment shown in FIGS. 7-l2, one of thetwo security positions has been deleted while maintaining only one uppernotch 12' in the broad head 10' of the keeper.

In the new embodiment shown in FIGS. 7l2, the rocking sector 20 becomes20', the actuating lever 15 becomes 15', the angular lever 26 becomes 26and the cam 6 becomes cam 6'.

According to this new-embodiment, FIG. 8 shows, for the position of theelements corresponding to FIG. 7, the orientation of the rock sectorfixed on the axis 5' in that it coacts with the angular lever 26' fixedon the axis 8 to obtain a mutual balance, by the effect of the abutment27 coming in contact with the rocking sector and with a minimum tensionof their common spring 21'.

It is pointed out that in this position of rest, the ramp of the bolthas moved aside due to its horizontal orientation and its axis 5' andtherefore the beginning of its closing movement will be made smoother.

After this first fraction of the closing path or movement as mentionedabove, the left lower end of the head of the keeper will come in contactwith the hooking nose 7' of the cam 6' and will similarly cause therocking of the angular lever 26 in a counterclockwise direction, asshown in FIG. 8, in stretching the spring 21', while the continuation ofthe movement, while allowing the unhooking of the nose 7, and itsreturn, by a clockwise rocking movement up to the lower notch 14 of thelower part of the head of the keeper 10, will allow a first hooking inthe closing position known as the security position illustrated by FIG.9.

While continuing the closing movement of the door from the securityposition according to FIG. 9, which causes only a slight rockingmovement of the hooking nose 7 of the cam 6 and a correspondingorientation of the other elements, according to FIG. 11, the movementwill remain relatively smooth, but increasingly tighter while allowing agreater clockwise rocking movement of the cam 6 up to the position shownin FIG. 10 in which, after the maximum self-cocking of the spring 21'then obtained, it will release by maintaining the rocking of the boltaround the axis 5 so as to locate it in the notch 12' of the head of thekeeper 10'.

In this final closing position of the door, as well as in the firstembodiment, the tension of the spring 21', combined with the spiralshape of the outer outline of the cam 6, provides the tightening effectand eliminates any risk of vertical bouncing due to road bumps.

Finally, FIG. 12 shows the opening step, which is obtained by pushing onlever 15, so as to make it rock in a clockwise direction. This providesa similar rocking movement of the sector 20' and of the axis 5' of therocking bolt solidly mounted on the said axis, until it unhooks from thenotch 12' of the head of the keeper 10' where its ramp reaches itshorizontal position, while simultaneously, the unhooking of the hookingnose of the cam 6' is obtained by the counterclockwise rocking movementof the angular lever 26 to which it is secured, by the effect of the leg28 of the lever 15' coming in contact with the corresponding abutment25' of the aforementioned lever 26'.

Although it may be advantageous to use a plastic material and inparticular a superpolyamide for making the cam 6 or 6', the invention isnot restricted to such material. Similarly for all the parts, theinvention is not restricted to the combination of means or process stepsspecifically mentioned, described or illustrated herein. It should beconsidered within the embodiment of this invention to operate such alock by remote control or by means of a key. Although the door lockdescribed herein has been contemplated for car doors, it may be used forthe trunk of a car or any other industrial use wherein the selfcockingof the lock would be advantageous.

I claim:

1. A door lock comprising: BOLT MEANS HAVING SUB- STANTIALLY THE SHAPEOF A SEMICYLINDER AND CONSTITUTING A SEMICYLINDRICAL CATCH ADAPTED TOROCK IN THE HOUSING,

2. A door lock as recited in claim 1, wherein the bolt means and thekeeper means are provided with a catching arrangement for stoppingtherocking movement of the bolt means.

3. A lock as recited in claim 1, wherein the tightening means and thekeeper means are provided with a catching arrangement for stopping therocking movement of the bolt means.

4. A lock as recited in claim 1, wherein the bolt means is solidlysecured to a rocking sector and the tightening means is solidly securedto an angular lever, and an operating lever is provided forinterconnecting the said sector and said square lever.

5. A lock as recited in claim 1, wherein the keeper means comprises aplate having a broad head and a cross piece fixed on said plate, thesaid broad head being adapted to be laterally maintained within the saidhousing.

1. A door lock comprising: BOLT MEANS HAVING SUBSTANTIALLY THE SHAPE OFA SEMICYLINDER AND CONSTITUTING A SEMICYLINDRICAL CATCH ADAPTED TO ROCKIN THE HOUSING,
 2. A door lock as recited in claim 1, wherein the boltmeans and the keeper means are provided with a catching arrangement forstopping the rocking movement of the bolt means.
 3. A lock as recited inclaim 1, wherein the tightening means and the keeper means are providedwith a catching arrangement for stopping the rocking movement of thebolt means.
 4. A lock as recited in claim 1, wherein the bolt means issolidly secured to a rocking sector and the tightening means is solidlysecured to an angular lever, and an operating lever is provided forinterconnecting the said sector and said square lever.
 5. A lock asrecited in claim 1, wherein the keeper means comprises a plate having abroad head and a cross piece fixed on said plate, the said broad headbeing adapted to be laterally maintained within the said housing.